by Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports

by Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, even if it's as stupid as the one spouted by Fox News host Eric Bolling, who defended former Rutgers coach Mike Rice and blamed his termination on the "wussification of America."

Bolling was speaking on his show The Five. He acknowledged that Rice was wrong for using gay slurs but defended the coach for throwing basketballs and shoving his players. Rice's firing, he says, was due to "political correctness" and "our culture in freefall."

There's an intelligent debate to be had about whether America is becoming too soft and how our new "everybody wins" culture affects our youth. Mike Rice is not a catalyst for this dialogue.

There's no fine line between discipline and abusive bullying. It's the thickest line imaginable.

Rice got what was coming to him. It may have taken ESPN releasing those tapes to make it happen, but that's a sign of passivity at Rutgers, not in America.

For what it's worth, Bolling has some sports experience. The Fox host was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 22nd round of the 1984 MLB draft, but blew out his arm in a rookie league game and never played again.